Decapitated Rattlesnake Still Manages to Bite and Nearly Kill Victim

While it always pays to be very cautious around rattlesnakes and other venomous creatures, one man in Corpus Christi, Texas is helping to drive home the point that you should keep your distance from their severed heads, too.

Local news affiliate KIII-TV recently reported that homeowner Jeremy Sutcliffe was doing yard work on Memorial Day weekend when he encountered one of the potentially deadly rattlers, a 4-foot-long Western diamondback. He severed its head with a shovel. When he went to dispose of the carcass, the reptile managed one last act of defiance and bit his hand. Immediately experiencing the effects of the snake’s venom, including seizures and vision loss, the man was airlifted to a hospital. Physicians administered 26 vials of antivenom. His physician, Michael Halpert, told media that Sutcliffe is currently in stable condition and is expected to recover.

In a chat with Gizmodo, antivenom expert Leslie Boyer explained that the severed head of a snake can continue to function and possibly kill “for a long time afterward.” A headless body can also rattle because being cold-blooded means their organs do not stop operating as quickly as a warm-blooded animal's would.

If you encounter a rattlesnake, avoid it by slowly backing away from its immediate area and call an animal control facility to help you. Venomous snakes will not let a minor injury like decapitation stop them from sinking their fangs into the nearest lump of flesh they can find.

Rhode Island Approves Bill to Create an Animal Abuser Registry

In what could be a major step toward curbing animal cruelty, Rhode Island just passed a bill requiring convicted abusers to be placed on a statewide registry. The objective? To make sure they don’t adopt another animal.

According to KUTV, the bill was approved by the Rhode Island House of Representatives on Thursday and is awaiting Senate approval. Under the law, anyone convicted of abusing an animal would be required to pay a $125 fee and register with the database. The collection of names will be made available to animal shelters and adoption agencies, which will be required to check the registry before adopting out any pets. If the prospective owner’s name appears, they will not be permitted to adopt the animal.

Convicted abusers have five days to register, either from the time of their conviction if no jail time is mandated or from the time of their release. The prohibition on owning another animal lasts 15 years. If they're convicted a second time, they would be banned for life.

A number of communities across the country have enacted similar laws in recent years, including Hillsborough County in Florida, Cook County in Illinois, and New York City. The state of Louisiana was fielding a bill last week, but the proposal was ultimately pulled from committee consideration after a critical response from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). The group’s policy statement argues that registries are costly to maintain, not often utilized by adoption centers, and don’t address the potential for abusers to find animals in other ways. The group also asserts that registries may influence potential convictions, as defendants and their legal representation might plea to lesser charges to avoid being placed in the database. The ASPCA instead recommends court-mandated no-contact orders for convicted animal abusers.

This Inflatable Sloth Pool Float Is the Perfect Accessory for Lazy Summer Days

Summer is the perfect time to channel your inner sloth. Even if you don't plan on sleeping 15 to 20 hours a day, you can take inspiration from the animal's lifestyle and plan to move as little as possible. This supersized sloth pool float from SwimWays, spotted by Romper, will help you achieve that goal.

It's hard not to feel lazy when you're being hugged by a giant inflatable sloth. This floating pool chair is 50 inches long, 40 inches tall, and 36 inches wide, with two "arms" to support you as you lounge in the water.

One of the sloth's paws includes a built-in cup holder, so you don't have to expend any extra energy by getting up in order to stay hydrated. Unlike some pool floats, this accessory allows you to sit upright—which means you can drink, read, or talk to the people around you without straining your neck.

The sloth floatie is available for $35 on Amazon or Walmart. SwimWays also makes the same product in different animal designs, including a panda and a teddy bear. And if you're looking for a pool accessory that gives you even more room to spread out, this inflatable dachshund float may be just what you need.

SwimWays

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